Secretarial

In my continuing series documenting our recent adventures in Berlin, I couldn’t let another day pass without mentioning the most wonderful bar I have ever been into in my life (and do not let my incredibly, almost super-naturally youthful, innocently glowing face dupe you, dearies: I have been in some bars).

It is also the place where I was served the best – THE best – mojito in the entire world. Oh yes, you absolutely have to visit The Green Door…

“The man behind the Green Door is thespian Fritz Müller-Scherz, and the cocktail list here must approach the thickness of some of his scripts. His slogan “the power of positive drinking” sets the scene for this wonderful little lounge bar where beautifully crafted classic cocktails are stylishly delivered in a quaint setting that blends modernity with seventies design.

Beyond the eponymous green door is a long, narrow room lined in gingham and faux wood grain. An oak topped bar runs most of its length, facing a wavy wall broken by an illuminated drinks ledge. In the very back corner is the best table in the house (ring ahead and reserve).

The expertly made drinks take no prisoners but are tamed by accompanying small glasses of water. These are enjoyed by a stylish 30-something crowd.”

I have to admit, the fiance and I had read up on this place beforehand and were slightly unnerved, if not put off altogether. It is the hippest hangout in Berlin. It is regularly touted as one of the hippest bars in the world. You have to ring a bell and wait, heart-thumping, on the doorstep as somebody eyes you through a spyglass (in the admittedly somewhat unprepossessing door) and decides if you look like the sort of person they want to let inside.

“At this Schöneberg classic, at the former location of Berlin’s legendary Havanna Bar, the city’s hip and wildly dressed crowd gets together for outstanding cocktails.” – New York Times

I must ask you to sit down in order to take this news, dear reader, but having spent the entire day being rained on, tossed about by high winds and frozen by an unseasonably cold snap…

I did not look hip. Not at all. I looked… deranged. Unstable. Bedraggled. Perhaps this is the hottest look going right now [indeed, “bird’s nest hair” is actually having its moment as a peculiar trend!] or – more likely, let’s face it – my inner hipness just shines through whatever the day has thrown at me [you do know I’m being sarcastic here, right? I just mention this in case you’re a new reader and were wondering if I owned a mirror or, you know, a scrap of dignity ;p]

Anyway.

They let us in!

Thank the Lord they did, because if you only have time to visit one bar in Berlin during your visit: this is it. This is, in fact, the place you should fly to when celebrating your recent lottery win, or your divorce, or anything you like.

Whatever excuse you need – just try it.

The place was quiet when we went, which gave us plenty of time to peruse the extraordinarily extensive menu (so BEAUTIFULLY printed with an embossed leather cover and exquisitely typeset pages that looked to be from a vintage press – seriously, I wish I had taken a picture of the menu. Or stolen a copy just to stroke the pages and gaze longingly at the Whiskey list. I don’t even like whiskey, but I was mentally envisaging the furiously puckered-up jealous faces of all the whiskey connoisseurs I know, and the joy of showing them the list and knowing that they would have to book a flight and go there. A sort of Schadenfreude with a rainbow at the end of it for the sufferer, so slightly less guilt for me.

When the barman (the tall chap on the left in the above photo) came to ask our orders, I apologised and said we might need some more time. I wasn’t even halfway through the menu. He smiled and said good-humouredly: “I know, it’s War & Peace, huh?” He brought us a pitcher of water to drink whilst wrestling with our choices.

It’s worth mentioning that the staff were all wonderful, and we told them so, too. Possibly in a somewhat slurred fashion at the end of the evening. I think I told them they made the best mojitos in the world quite a number of times.

So, yes. We quite liked it there, really. 🙂 You NEED to go!

Of course, I am going to present you with a themed collection of goodies to browse through…

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Excellent post – and thanks so much for featuring my Berlin Tour Map Journal! It’s been a loooooong time since I’ve been to Berlin – pretty sure that bar wasn’t there then. And the whole peep hole thing would have sent me scurrying in the other direction. I’m glad there are people like you writing about experiences like this so I can vicariously enjoy them!
Thanks again.
Regards,
Becky